Pop-up display

Abstract

An apparatus drives and guides movement of a display assembly that includes a display unit. At least one track extends along at least one side of the display assembly and defines a path along which the display assembly is driven. A plurality of pins extend from the display assembly to the at least one track. At least one constant force spring has at one end a coiled part that is rotatably coupled to the display assembly, and an opposing end fastened to a fixed mounting location, and an uncoiled part extending between the coiled part and the opposing end. The at least one constant force spring is configured to drive the display assembly from a lowered position to a raised position while the plurality of pins travels along the at least one track and guide movement of the display assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for driving and guiding movement of a display assembly, the apparatus comprising:
 a first track extending along, and disposed adjacent to, a first side of the display assembly and defining a path along which the display assembly is driven; 
 a first pair of pins each extending from the first side of the display assembly into the first track; and 
 at least one constant force spring having at one end a coiled part that is rotatably couple to the display assembly, an opposing end fastened to a fixed mounting location, and an uncoiled part extending between the coiled part and the opposing end; 
 the at least one constant force spring being configured to drive the display assembly from a lowered position to a raised position while the first pair of pins travels along the first track which guides movement of the display assembly, 
 
       wherein
 the first track includes
 a straight part that guides the movement of the first pair of pins along a straight line while the at least one constant force spring drives the display assembly from the lowered position, and 
 a curved end part that guides further movement of the first pair of pins while the at least one constant force spring subsequently drives the display assembly to the raised position and into a tilted orientation. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the display assembly includes
 a display unit, the first pair of pins each extending from the display unit into the first track, and 
 an electronics housing separate from the display unit and pivotally coupled at one end to an adjacent end of the display unit, the coiled part of the at least one constant force spring being rotatably coupled to another end of the electronics housing, such that
 the display unit and the electronics housing each move in a straight line while the first pair of pins are guided along the straight part of the first track, and 
 the display unit pivots about the electronics housing while the first pair of pins are guided along the curved part of the first track so that the display unit is guided to the tilted orientation. 
 
 
 
     
     
       3. An apparatus for driving and guiding movement of a display assembly, the apparatus comprising:
 a first track extending along, and disposes adjacent to, a first side of the display assembly and defining a path along which the display assembly is driven; 
 a first pair of pins each extending from the first side of the display assembly into the first track; and 
 at least one constant force spring having at one end a coiled part that is rotatably coupled to the display assembly, an opposing end fastened to a fixed mounting location, and an uncoiled part extending between the coiled part and the opposing end; 
 the at least one constant force spring being configured to drive the display assembly from a lowered position to a raised position while the first pair of pins travels along the first track which guides movement of the display assembly, 
 
       wherein
 the display assembly includes
 a display unit, and 
 
 an electronics housing separate from the display unit and pivotally coupled at one end to an adjacent end of the display unit such that the display unit and the electronics housing move in tandem as the display assembly moves between the lowered position and the raised position. 
 
     
     
       4. An apparatus for driving and guiding movement of a display assembly, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing having a plurality of walls and a bottom; 
 a first track disposed within the housing adjacent to one side of the display assembly; 
 a second track disposed within the housing adjacent to an opposing side of the display assembly,
 the first and second tracks defining a path along which the display assembly is driven; 
 
 a first pair of pins extending from one side of the display assembly into the first track; 
 a second pair of pins extending from an opposing side of the display assembly into the second track; and 
 at least one constant force spring having at one end a coiled part that is rotatably coupled to the display assembly, and an opposing end fastened to a fixed mounting location on the housing, and an uncoiled part extending between the coiled part and the opposing end; 
 the display assembly including
 a display unit, and 
 an electronics housing separate from the display unit and pivotally coupled at one end to an adjacent end of the display unit, the coiled part of the at least one constant force spring being rotatably coupled to another end of the electronics housing; 
 
 the at least one constant force spring being configured to drive the display assembly from a lowered position, in which the display unit and the electronics housing are each disposed entirely within the housing, to a raised position, in which the electronics housing is disposed within the housing and the display unit is at least partially disposed outside the housing, while the first and second pairs of pins travel along the first and second tracks, respectively, which guides movement of the display assembly; 
 the first and second tracks each including
 a straight part that guides the movement of the display unit and the electronics housing along a straight line from the lowered position, and 
 a curved end part that guides further movement of the display unit and the electronics housing to the raised position and into a tilted orientation. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein
 the at least one constant force spring includes a pair of constant force springs, each having at one end a respective coiled part that is rotatably coupled to the display assembly, a respective opposing end fastened to a respective fixed mounting location on the housing, and a respective uncoiled part extending between the coiled part and the opposing end. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising
 a catch part coupled to the display assembly; and 
 a movable hooking part coupled to the bottom of the housing and configured to releasably hold the catch part; 
 wherein when the display assembly is driven manually to the lowered position, the hooking part catches the catch part and holds the display assembly in the lowered position. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising
 an electrically powered driving mechanism configured to move the hooking part from a holding position in which the hooking part holds the catch part to a released position in which the hooking part releases the catch part and permits the at least one constant force spring to drive the display assembly from the lowered position, and 
 a power supply configured to supply electrical power to the driving mechanism. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising
 an electronic release switch configured to control the electrical power supplied to the driving mechanism in a manner that moves the hooking part from the holding position to the released position. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising
 a pair of slide rails coupled to one of the plurality of walls of the housing, and 
 a slider affixed to the display assembly, 
 the slider being disposed between, and contacting, the pair of slide rails such that while the display assembly is moved from the lowered position to the raised position, the pair of slide rails slow the movement of the slider, thereby slowing the movement of the display assembly. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising
 a gear rotatably coupled to the display assembly, and 
 a gear rack coupled to one of the plurality of walls of the housing, 
 the gear rack being mated with the gear such that while the display assembly is moved from the lowered position to the raised position, the gear moves along the gear rack and slows the movement of the display assembly. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein
 the fixed mounting location is located on an inner side of one of the plurality of walls of the housing. 
 
     
     
       12. An apparatus for driving and guiding movement of a display assembly, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing having a plurality of walls and a bottom; 
 a first track disposed within the housing adjacent to one side of the display assembly; 
 a second track disposed within the housing adjacent to an opposing side of the display assembly, 
 the first and second tracks together defining a path along which the display assembly is driven; 
 a first pair of pins extending from one side of the display assembly into the first track; 
 a second pair of pins extending from an opposing side of the display assembly into the second track; 
 a pair of constant force springs, each having at one end a respective coiled part that is rotatably coupled to the display assembly, a respective opposing end fastened to a respective fixed mounting location on the housing, and a respective uncoiled part extending between the coiled part and the opposing end; 
 the display assembly including
 a display unit, and 
 an electronics housing separate from the display unit and pivotally coupled at one end to an adjacent end of the display unit such that the display unit and the electronics housing move in tandem as the display assembly moves between the lowered position and the raised position, the coiled part of the at least one constant force spring being rotatably coupled to another end of the electronics housing; 
 the pair of constant force springs being configured to drive the display assembly from a lowered position, in which the display unit and the electronics housing are disposed entirely within the housing, to a raised position, in which the electronics housing is disposed within the housing and the display unit is at least partially disposed outside the housing, while the first and second pairs of pins travel along the pair of tracks which guides movement of the display assembly; 
 
 each one of the first and second tracks including
 a straight part that guides the movement of the electronics housing and the display unit along a straight line from the lowered position while the first pair of pins moves along the straight part of the first track and the second pair of pins moves along the straight part of the second track, and 
 a curved end part that guides further movement of the electronics housing and the display unit to the raised position and that guides the display unit to pivot about the electronics housing into a tilted orientation while the first pair of pins moves along the curved part of the first track and the second pair of pins moves along the curved part of the second track; 
 
 a catch part coupled to the display assembly; 
 a movable hooking part coupled to the bottom of the housing and configured to releasably hold the catch part, wherein
 when the display assembly is driven manually to the lowered position, the hooking part catches the catch part and holds the display assembly in the lowered position; 
 
 a driving mechanism configured to move the hooking part from a holding position in which the hooking part holds the catch part to a released position in which the hooking part releases hold the catch part and permits the at least one constant force spring to drive the display assembly from the lowered position; 
 a power supply configured to supply electrical power to the driving mechanism to control whether the hooking part is in the holding position or in the released position; 
 an electronic release switch configured to control the electrical power supplied to the power supply and thereby to the driving mechanism such that the hooking part is moved from the holding position to the released position; 
 a pair of slide rails coupled to one of the plurality of walls of the housing; 
 a slider affixed to the display assembly; 
 the slider being disposed between, and contacting, the pair of slide rails such that while the display assembly is moved from the lowered position to the raised position, the pair of slide rails slow the movement of the slider, thereby slowing the movement of the display assembly; 
 a gear rotatably coupled to the display assembly, and 
 a gear rack coupled to the one of the plurality of walls of the housing, 
 the gear rack being mated with the gear such that while the display assembly is moved from the lowered position to the raised position, the gear moves along the gear rack and slows the movement of the display assembly. 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein
 the respective fixed mounting location is located on an inner side of a respective one of the plurality of walls of the housing.